Parents oppose Cambridge curriculum, stage protest against private school

Srinagar, Dec 12: The parents of a local private school on Thursday staged a massive protest inside the school premises to oppose the decision of the school management to adopt Cambridge curriculum for the students from the upcoming academic session.

The parents assembled inside the premises of the R P School Nagbal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and said that despite opposition, the school management was adamant to adopt Cambridge curriculum for the school children which they said was against the will of parents.

“We met the school management earlier and discussed the issue. The school authorities sought some time but we were surprised after a letter was sent to the parents about the decision to adopt the Cambridge curriculum,” a group of protesting parents told media persons.

The parents said that nobody from the school management was ready to interact with the parents who had assembled inside the premises to hold deliberations with the school authorities regarding their decision to adopt the Cambridge curriculum.

“How can they change the curriculum abruptly without taking parents on board. We as parents are more concerned about the future of the students,” the parents said.

They said the school management has decided to adopt Cambridge curriculum without showing any NoC to the parents which can ascertain that the school has got the Cambridge affiliation.

“When we asked the management to produce NoC of Cambridge, they could not show us anything. The management has constructed a new building which does not have functional washrooms yet and the students have to move to another building to use the washroom. When the school cannot provide basic facilities, how can they claim to introduce Cambridge  curriculum,” the protesting parents said.

The parents, while pointing towards high-tension electric wire passing over the school premises, said that management could not shift the line in all these years and they claim to introduce the Cambridge  curriculum.

“The school management is totally showing its highhandedness and are shifting from NCERT to Cambridge. We are against it,” the parents said.

The parents demanded that the school should adopt NCERT books as per the government directions.

“We are happy with the NCERT books but the school management wants to shift to Cambridge so that they can prescribe us costly books. We urge the authorities to intervene into the matter,” the parents said.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Dr G N Itoo said the school management will be called to the directorate and the issue will be resolved.

“The concerned joint director has been asked to call the management of the school to the Directorate. We will ensure that the issue is resolved on spot,” Itoo told Greater Kashmir.